CHAPTER XXIV.
THE GREAT NORTHERN RAILWAY HOTEL.
At the door of the hotel of the Great Northern Railway Station theymet Captain Aylmer. Rooms had been taken there because they were tostart by an early train on that line in the morning, and CaptainAylmer had undertaken to order dinner. There was nothing particularin the meeting to make it unpleasant to our friend Will. Thefortunate rival could do no more in the hall of the inn than give hishand to his affianced bride, as he might do to any other lady, andthen suggest to her that she should go up-stairs and see her room.When he had done this, he also offered his hand to Belton; and Will,though he would almost sooner have cut off his own, was obliged totake it. In a few minutes the two men were standing alone together inthe sitting-room.
"I suppose you found it cold coming up?" said the captain.
"Not particularly," said Will.
"It's rather a long journey from Belton."
"Not very long," said Will.
"Not for you, perhaps; but Miss Amedroz must be tired."
Belton was angry at having his cousin called Miss Amedroz,--feelingthat the reserve of the name was intended to keep him at a distance.But he would have been equally angry had Aylmer called her Clara.
"My cousin," said Will stoutly, "is able to bear slight fatigue ofthat kind without suffering."
"I didn't suppose she suffered; but journeys are always tedious,especially where there is so much road work. I believe you are twentymiles from the station?"
"Belton Castle is something over twenty miles from Taunton."
"We are seven from our station at Aylmer Park, and we think that agreat deal."
"I'm more than that at Plaistow," said Will.
"Oh, indeed. Plaistow is in Norfolk, I believe?"
"Yes;--Plaistow is in Norfolk."
"I suppose you'll leave it now and go into Somersetshire," suggestedCaptain Aylmer.
"Certainly not. Why should I leave it?"
"I thought, perhaps,--as Belton Castle is now your own--"
"Plaistow Hall is more my own than Belton Castle, if that signifiesanything,--which it doesn't." This he said in an angry tone, which,as he became conscious of it, he tried to rectify. "I've a deal ofstock and all that sort of thing at Plaistow, and couldn't very wellleave it, even if I wished it," he said.
"You've pretty good shooting too, I suppose," said Aylmer.
"As far as partridges go I'll back it against most properties of thesame extent in any county."
"I'm too busy a man myself," said the Captain, "to do much atpartridges. We think more of pheasants down with us."
"I dare say."
"But a Norfolk man like you is of course keen about birds."
"We are obliged to put up with what we've got, you know;--not butwhat I believe there is a better general head of game in Norfolk thanin any other county in England."
"That's what makes your hunting rather poor."
"Our hunting poor! Why do you say it's poor?"
"So many of you are against preserving foxes."
"I'll tell you what, Captain Aylmer; I don't know what pack youhunt with, but I'll bet you a five-pound note that we killed morefoxes last year than you did;--that is, taking three days a week.Nine-and-twenty brace and a half in a short season I don't call poorat all."
Captain Aylmer saw that the man was waxing angry, and made no furtherallusion either to the glories or deficiencies of Norfolk. As hecould think of no other subject on which to speak at the spur ofthe moment, he sat himself down and took up a paper; Belton took upanother, and so they remained till Clara made her appearance. ThatCaptain Aylmer read his paper is probable enough. He was not a maneasily disconcerted, and there was nothing in his present positionto disconcert him. But I feel sure that Will Belton did not read aword. He was angry with this rival, whom he hated, and was angry withhimself for showing his anger. He would have wished to appear to thebest advantage before this man, or rather before Clara in this man'spresence; and he knew that in Clara's absence he was making such afool of himself that he would be unable to recover his prestige. Hehad serious thoughts within his own breast whether it would not beas well for him to get up from his seat and give Captain Aylmer athoroughly good thrashing;--"Drop into him and punch his head," ashe himself would have expressed it. For the moment such an exercisewould give him immense gratification. The final results would, nodoubt, be disastrous; but then, all future results, as far as hecould see them, were laden with disaster. He was still thinking ofthis, eyeing the man from under the newspaper, and telling himselfthat the feat would probably be too easy to afford much enjoyment,when Clara re-entered the room. Then he got up, acting on the spur ofthe moment,--got up quickly and suddenly, and began to bid her adieu.
"But you are going to dine here, Will?" she said.
"No; I think not."
"You promised you would. You told me you had nothing to do to-night."Then she turned to Captain Aylmer. "You expect my cousin to dine withus to-day?"
"I ordered dinner for three," said Captain Aylmer.
"Oh, very well; it's all the same thing to me," said Will.
"And to me," said Captain Aylmer.
"It's not at all the same thing to me," said Clara. "I don't knowwhen I may see my cousin again. I should think it very bad of you,Will, if you went away this evening."
"I'll go out just for half an hour," said he, "and be back todinner."
"We dine at seven," said the Captain. Then Belton took his hat andleft the two lovers together.
"Your cousin seems to be a rather surly sort of gentleman." Thosewere the first words which Captain Aylmer spoke when he was alonewith the lady of his love. Nor was he demonstrative of his affectionby any of the usual signs of regard which are permitted to acceptedlovers. He did not offer to kiss her, nor did he attempt to takeher hand with a warmer pressure now that he was alone with her. Heprobably might have gone through some such ceremony had he first metClara in a position propitious to such purposes; but, as it was, hehad been a little ruffled by Will Belton's want of good breeding, andhad probably forgotten that any such privileges might have been his.I wonder whether any remembrance flashed across Clara's mind at thismoment of her cousin Will's great iniquity in the sitting-room atBelton Castle. She thought of it very often, and may possibly havethought of it now.
"I don't believe that he is surly, Frederic," she said. "He may,perhaps, be out of humour."
"And why should he be out of humour with me? I only suggested to himthat it might suit him to live at Belton instead of at that farm ofhis, down in Norfolk."
"He is very fond of Plaistow, I fancy."
"But that's no reason why he should be cross with me. I don't envyhim his taste, that's all. If he can't understand that he, with hisname, ought to live on the family property which belongs to him, itisn't likely that anything that I can say will open his eyes upon thesubject."
"The truth is, Frederic, he has some romantic notion about the Beltonestate."
"What romantic notion?"
"He thinks it should not be his at all."
"Whose then? Who does he think should have it?"
"Of course there can be nothing in it, you know; of course it's allnonsense."
"But what is his idea? Who does he think should be the owner?"
"He means--that it should be--mine. But of course, Frederic, it isall nonsense; we know that."
It did not seem to be quite clear at the moment that Frederic hadaltogether made up his mind upon the subject. As he heard thesetidings from Clara there came across his face a puzzled, dubiouslook, as though he did not quite understand the proposition whichhad been suggested to him;--as though some consideration were wantedbefore he could take the idea home to himself and digest it, so asto enable himself to express an opinion upon it. There might besomething in it,--some show of reason which did not make itself clearto Clara's feminine mind. "I have never known what was the precisenature of your father's marriage settlement," said he.
Then Clara
began to explain with exceeding eagerness that there wasno question as to the accuracy of the settlement, or the legalityof the entail;--that indeed there was no question as to anything.Her cousin Will was romantic, and that was the end of it. Ofcourse,--quite as a matter of course, this romance would lead tonothing; and she had only mentioned the subject now to show that hercousin's mind might possibly be disturbed when the question of hisfuture residence was raised. "I quite feel with you," she said, "thatit will be much nicer that he should live at the old family place;but just at present I do not speak about it."
"If he is thinking of not claiming Belton, it is quite anotherthing," said Aylmer.
"It is his without any claiming," said Clara.
"Ah, well; it will all be settled before long," said Aylmer.
"It is settled already," said Clara.
At seven the three met again, and when the dinner was on the tablethere was some little trouble as to the helping of the fish. Which ofthe two men should take the lead on the occasion? But Clara decidedthe question by asking her cousin to make himself useful. There canbe little doubt but that Captain Aylmer would have distributed themutton chops with much more grace, and have carved the roast fowlwith much more skill; but it suited Clara that Will should have theemployment, and Will did the work. Captain Aylmer, throughout thedinner, endeavoured to be complaisant, and Clara exerted herself totalk as though all matters around them were easy. Will, too, made hiseffort, every now and then speaking a word, and restraining himselffrom snapping at his rival; but the restraint was in itself evident,and there were symptoms throughout the dinner that the untamed manwas longing to fly at the throat of the man that was tamed.
"Is it supposed that I ought to go away for a little while?" saidClara, as soon as she had drank her own glass of wine.
"Oh dear, no," said the Captain. "We'll have a cup of coffee;--thatis, if Mr. Belton likes it."
"It's all the same to me," said Will.
"But won't you have some more wine?" Clara asked.
"No more for me," said Captain Aylmer. "Perhaps Mr. Belton--"
"Who; I? No; I don't want any more wine," said Will; and then theywere all silent.
It was very hard upon Clara. After a while the coffee came, and eventhat was felt to be a comfort. Though there was no pouring out tobe done, no actual employment enacted, still the manoeuvring of thecups created a diversion. "If either of you like to smoke," she said,"I shan't mind it in the least." But neither of them would smoke. "Atwhat hour shall we get to Aylmer Park to-morrow?" Clara asked.
"At half-past four," said the Captain.
"Oh, indeed;--so early as that." What was she to say next? Will, whohad not touched his coffee, and who was sitting stiffly at the tableas though he were bound in duty not to move, was becoming more andmore grim every moment. She almost repented that she had asked himto remain with them. Certainly there was no comfort in his company,either to them or to himself. "How long shall you remain in town,Will, before you go down to Plaistow?" she asked.
"One day," he replied.
"Give my kind love,--my very kindest love to Mary. I wish I knew her.I wish I could think that I might soon know her."
"You'll never know her," said Belton. The tone of his voice wasactually savage as he spoke;--so much so that Aylmer turned in hischair to look at him, and Clara did not dare to answer him. But nowthat he had been made to speak, it seemed that he was determined topersevere. "How should you ever know her? Nothing will ever bring youinto Norfolk, and nothing will ever take her out of it."
"I don't quite see why either of those assertions should be made."
"Nevertheless they're both true. Had you ever meant to come toNorfolk you would have come now." He had not even asked her to come,having arranged with his sister that in their existing circumstancesany such asking would not be a kindness; and yet he rebuked her nowfor not coming!
"My mother is very anxious that Miss Amedroz should pay her a visitat Aylmer Park," said the Captain.
"And she's going to Aylmer Park, so your mother's anxiety need notdisturb her any longer."
"Come, Will, don't be out of temper with us," said Clara. "It is ourlast night together. We, who are so dear to each other, ought not toquarrel."
"I'm not quarrelling with you," said he.
"I can hardly suppose that Mr. Belton wants to quarrel with me," saidCaptain Aylmer, smiling.
"I'm sure he does not," said Clara. Belton sat silent, with his eyesfixed upon the table, and with a dark frown upon his brow. He didlong to quarrel with Captain Aylmer; but was still anxious, if itmight be possible, to save himself from what he knew would be atransgression.
"To use a phrase common with us down in Yorkshire," said Aylmer, "Ishould say that Mr. Belton had got out of bed the wrong side thismorning."
"What the d---- does it matter to you, sir, what side I got out ofbed?" said Will, clenching both his fists. Oh;--if he might only havebeen allowed to have a round of five minutes with Aylmer, he wouldhave been restored to good temper for that night, let the subsequentresults have been what they might. He moved his feet impatiently onthe floor, as though he were longing to kick something; and then hepushed his coffee-cup away from him, upsetting half the contents uponthe table, and knocking down a wine-glass, which was broken.
"Will;--Will!" said Clara, looking at him with imploring eyes.
"Then he shouldn't talk to me about getting out of bed on the wrongside. I didn't say anything to him."
"It is unkind of you, Will, to quarrel with Captain Aylmer because heis my friend."
"I don't want to quarrel with him; or, rather, as I won't quarrelwith him because you don't wish it, I'll go away. I can't do morethan that. I didn't want to dine with him here. There's my cousinClara, Captain Aylmer; I love her better than all the world besides.Love her! It seems to me that there's nothing else in the world forme to love. I'd give my heart for her this minute. All that I have inthe world is hers. Oh,--love her! I don't believe that it's in youto know what I mean when I say that I love her! She tells me thatshe's going to be your wife. You can't suppose that I can be verycomfortable under those circumstances,--or that I can be very fond ofyou. I'm not very fond of you. Now I'll go away, and then I shan'ttrouble you any more. But look here,--if ever you should ill-treather, whether you marry her or whether you don't, I'll crush everybone in your skin." Having so spoken he went to the door, but stoppedhimself before he left the room. "Good-bye, Clara. I've got a word ortwo more to say to you, but I'll write you a line down-stairs. Youcan show it to him if you please. It'll only be about business.Good-night."
She had got up and followed him to the door, and he had taken her bythe hand. "You shouldn't let your passion get the better of you inthis way," she said; but the tone of her voice was very soft, and hereyes were full of love.
"I suppose not," said he.
"I can forgive him," said Captain Aylmer.
"D---- your forgiveness," said Will Belton. Then Clara dropped thehand and started back, and the door was shut, and Will Belton wasgone.
"Your cousin seems to be a nice sort of young man," said Aylmer.
"Cannot you understand it all, Frederic, and pardon him?"
"I can pardon him easily enough; but one doesn't like men who aregiven to threatening. He's not the sort of man that I took him tobe."
"Upon my word I think he's as nearly perfect as a man can be."
"Then you like men to swear at you, and to swagger like Bobadils,and to misbehave themselves, so that one has to blush for them ifa servant chances to hear them. Do you really think that he hasconducted himself to-day like a gentleman?"
"I know that he is a gentleman," said Clara.
"I must confess I have no reason for supposing him to be so but yourassurance."
"And I hope that is sufficient, Frederic."
Captain Aylmer did not answer her at once, but sat for awhile silent,considering what he would say. Clara, who understood his moods, knewthat he did not mean to drop the subject, and resolve
d that she woulddefend her cousin, let Captain Aylmer attack him as he would.
"Upon my word, I hardly know what to say about it," said Aylmer.
"Suppose, then, that we say nothing more. Will not that be best?"
"No, Clara. I cannot now let the matter pass by in that way. You haveasked me whether I do not think Mr. Belton to be a gentleman, and Imust say that I doubt it. Pray hear me out before you answer me. Ido not want to be harder upon him than I can help; and I would haveborne, and I did bear from him, a great deal in silence. But he saidthat to me which I cannot allow to pass without notice. He had thebad taste to speak to me of his--his regard for you."
"I cannot see what harm he did by that;--except to himself."
"I believe that it is understood among gentlemen that one man neverspeaks to another man about the lady the other man means to marry,unless they are very intimate friends indeed. What I mean is, that ifMr. Belton had understood how gentlemen live together he would neverhave said anything to me about his affection for you. He should atany rate have supposed me to be ignorant of it. There is somethingin the very idea of his doing so that is in the highest degreeindelicate. I wonder, Clara, that you do not see this yourself."
"I think he was indiscreet."
"Indiscreet! Indiscreet is not the word for such conduct. I must say,that as far as my opinion goes, it was ungentlemanlike."
"I don't believe that there is a nobler-minded gentleman in allLondon than my cousin Will."
"Perhaps it gratified you to hear from him the assurance of hislove?" said Captain Aylmer.
"If it is your wish to insult me, Frederic, I will leave you."
"It is my wish to make you understand that your judgment has beenwrong."
"That is simply a matter of opinion, and as I do not wish to arguewith you about it, I had better go. At any rate I am very tired.Good-night, Frederic." He then told her what arrangements he had madefor the morrow, at what hour she would be called, and when she wouldhave her breakfast. After that he let her go without making anyfurther allusion to Will Belton.
It must be admitted that the meeting between the lovers had not beenauspicious; and it must be acknowledged, also, that Will Belton hadbehaved very badly. I am not aware of the existence of that specialunderstanding among gentlemen in respect to the ladies they aregoing to marry which Captain Aylmer so eloquently described; but,nevertheless, I must confess that Belton would have done better hadhe kept his feelings to himself. And when he talked of crushing hisrival's bones, he laid himself justly open to severe censure. But,for all that, he was no Bobadil. He was angry, sore, and miserable;and in his anger, soreness, and misery, he had allowed himself tobe carried away. He felt very keenly his own folly, even as he wasleaving the room, and as he made his way out of the hotel he hatedhimself for his own braggadocio. "I wish some one would crush mybones," he said to himself almost audibly. "No one ever deserved tobe crushed better than I do."
Clara, when she got to her own room, was very serious and very sad.What was to be the end of it all? This had been her first meetingafter her father's death with the man whom she had promised to marry;indeed, it was the first meeting after her promise had been given;and they had only met to quarrel. There had been no word of lovespoken between them. She had parted from him now almost in anger,without the slightest expression of confidence between them,--almostas those part who are constrained by circumstances to be together,but who yet hate each other and know that they hate each other. Wasthere in truth any love between him and her? And if there was none,could there be any advantage, any good either to him or to her, inthis journey of hers to Aylmer Park? Would it not be better that sheshould send for him and tell him that they were not suited for eachother, and that thus she should escape from all the terrors of LadyAylmer? As she thought of this, she could not but think of WillBelton also. Not a gentleman! If Will Belton was not a gentleman, shedesired to know nothing further of gentlemen. Women are so good andkind that those whom they love they love almost the more when theycommit offences, because of the offences so committed. Will Beltonhad been guilty of great offences,--of offences for which Clara wasprepared to lecture him in the gravest manner should opportunitiesfor such lectures ever come;--but I think that they had increasedher regard for him rather than diminished it. She could not, however,make up her mind to send for Captain Aylmer, and when she went to bedshe had resolved that the visit to Yorkshire must be made.
Before she left the room the following morning, a letter was broughtto her from her cousin, which had been written that morning. Sheasked the maid to inquire for him, and sent down word to him that ifhe were in the house she specially wished to see him; but the tidingscame from the hall porter that he had gone out very early, and hadexpressly said that he should not breakfast at the inn.
The letter was as follows:--
DEAR CLARA,
I meant to have handed to you the enclosed in person, but I lost my temper last night,--like a fool as I am,--and so I couldn't do it. You need not have any scruple about the money which I send,--L100 in ten ten-pound notes,--as it is your own. There is the rent due up to your father's death, which is more than what I now enclose, and there will be a great many other items, as to all of which you shall have a proper account. When you want more, you had better draw on me, till things are settled. It shall all be done as soon as possible. It would not be comfortable for you to go away without money of your own, and I suppose you would not wish that he should pay for your journeys and things before you are married.
Of course I made a fool of myself yesterday. I believe that I usually do. It is not any good my begging your pardon, for I don't suppose I shall ever trouble you any more. Good-bye, and God bless you.
Your affectionate Cousin,
WILLIAM BELTON.
It was a bad day for me when I made up my mind to go to Belton Castle last summer.
Clara, when she had read the letter, sat down and cried, holding thebundle of notes in her hand. What would she do with them? Should shesend them back? Oh no;--she would do nothing to displease him, or tomake him think that she was angry with him. Besides, she had none ofthat dislike to taking his money which she had felt as to receivingmoney from Captain Aylmer. He had said that she would be his sister,and she would take from him any assistance that a sister mightproperly take from a brother.
She went down-stairs and met Captain Aylmer in the sitting-room. Hestepped up to her as soon as the door was closed, and she could atonce see that he had determined to forget the unpleasantnesses of theprevious evening. He stepped up to her, and gracefully taking her byone hand, and passing the other behind her waist, saluted her in abecoming and appropriate manner. She did not like it. She especiallydisliked it, believing in her heart of hearts that she would neverbecome the wife of this man whom she had professed to love,--and whomshe really had once loved. But she could only bear it. And, to saythe truth, there was not much suffering of that kind to be borne.
Their journey down to Yorkshire was very prosperous. He maintainedhis good humour throughout the day, and never once said a word aboutWill Belton. Nor did he say a word about Mrs. Askerton. "Do your bestto please my mother, Clara," he said, as they were driving up fromthe park lodges to the house. This was fair enough, and she thereforepromised him that she would do her best.
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